Sha’Carri Richardson’s hopes of competing in the 200 metres at this year’s World Championships came to an end after she narrowly failed to qualify for the final at the US Track and Field Championships in Oregon.
The 25-year-old finished fourth in her semi-final heat, clocking 22.56 seconds – just 0.01 seconds behind Madison Whyte, who claimed the final qualifying spot. The result ends Richardson’s 200m campaign, although she will still feature in Tokyo this September, having secured a bye in the 100m as the reigning world champion.
Richardson, who won silver in the 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has endured a turbulent week after being arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport following an altercation with boyfriend and fellow US sprinter Christian Coleman.
According to a police report, surveillance footage appeared to show Richardson shoving Coleman into a wall and throwing an object at him. She was detained last Sunday and released the following day. Coleman reportedly declined to participate in the investigation and told police he did not wish to be treated as a victim.
After her semi-final exit in Eugene, Richardson declined to speak to reporters, simply telling them to “have a blessed day”.
USA Track and Field acknowledged the incident earlier in the week, stating they were “aware of the reports” but would “not be commenting on this matter”.
Coleman, who finished sixth in the men’s 200m final on Sunday, showed support for Richardson. “She’s a human being and a great person,” he said. “She’s going to bounce back because she’s the best female athlete in the world.”
The women’s 200m final was won by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in a personal best of 21.84 seconds, completing a sprint double after her 100m victory earlier in the competition.
